Inspiration

• Kentucky’s accountability system re-design decision to forgo growth and utilize improvement instead.
• Countless discussions at TAC meetings where accountability system terminology is used interchangeably and incorrectly (most notably by experts in our field).
• Numerous presentations at TAC meetings discussing poorly designed quasi-experimental studies using results from state summative assessments.
• Characterizations of “learning loss” and “recovery” during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Numerous staff meeting discussions about accountability systems and their design.
• 2023 Brian Gong Colloquium on accountability system design.

Coherence

• The term coherence is not frequently used in discussions of accountability systems and when it is, it is often not clearly defined.
• What is coherence with respect to accountability systems?
• What is incoherent about current accountability systems?
• Why is coherence important?
• How can coherence be instantiated in accountability systems?

Gill’s Framework

• Brian Gill’s (2022) paper, What should the future of educational accountability look like?, introduces a useful framework for indicators used in accountability systems.
• Three Core Components of Gill’s Framework
  • Processes: The activities, instructional practices, and organizational elements that schools implement to support student learning.
  • Impacts: The measurable effects of processes on student learning and development, often captured through growth metrics or value-added models.
  • Outcomes: The long-term results of education, such as achievement/proficiency levels, graduation rates, and other indicators of student success.
• Gill argues that for indicators to drive meaningful improvement, they must be:
  • Valid: Accurately measure what they claim to measure without systematic bias.
  • Reliable: Stable and consistent over time to avoid misdiagnosis or loss of credibility.
  • Robust: Resistant to unintended consequences and manipulation while capturing critical dimensions of educational quality.

Gill’s Infographic

Coherent Components

Why Coherence is Critical?

What is Equity?